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Quantifying microplastic pollution in South African mangrove forests: A comparative analysis of abundance, morphotype, polymer composition and toxicity.
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Researchers quantified microplastic pollution in South African mangrove forest sediments across multiple sites, providing rare baseline data for African coastal ecosystems that are underrepresented in global microplastic research. Microplastics were detected at all sampled mangrove sites, with contamination levels varying in relation to proximity to urban development and river inputs.
Microplastic (MP) pollution is a global environmental threat and while the prevalence of MPs has been well characterised for many habitats, significant knowledge gaps exist for ecosystems like mangroves. This is particularly true for Africa, where baseline levels of MP pollution in many biodiverse ecosystems have yet to be established, hampering management interventions. This motivated the present study which aimed to profile MP pollution in four mangrove-dominated estuaries in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, through a comparative assessment of MP abundance, morphotypes, size, colour polymer composition and polymer toxicity, in relation to the types and intensity of anthropogenic and natural disturbances impacting these systems. The results showed that MP levels were highest in the sediment components of the estuaries studied, with MP abundances ranging from 2.78 MP items/kg to 13. 26 MP items per Kg in the sediment; and surface water MP abundances ranging from 0 MP items/L to 3 MP items/L. Overall, the results highlighted that systems exposed to higher levels of anthropogenic disturbances have higher levels and diversities of MPs. Whilst a wide diversity of MP morphotypes were detected, white microfibers dominated in the surface water and mangrove sediment (91 Also see: https://micro2024.sciencesconf.org/559775/document
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Quantifying microplastic pollution in South African mangrove forests: A comparative analysis of abundance, morphotype, polymer composition and toxicity.
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Researchers quantified microplastic pollution in South African mangrove forests using a comparative approach across multiple sites, filling a baseline knowledge gap for African coastal ecosystems where prior data is scarce. Microplastics were detected across mangrove sediments at levels that varied with proximity to urban and anthropogenic pressure.
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Invisible Peril: Assessing microplastic pollution in Ghanaian mangroves
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This study assessed microplastic pollution in mangrove sediments in Ghana, measuring particle abundance, types, and polymer composition across multiple mangrove sites. Microplastics were ubiquitous in all sampled mangroves, with highest concentrations near urban and fishing communities.
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Towards Characterising Microplastic Abundance, Typology and Retention in Mangrove-Dominated Estuaries
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Microplastic pollution levels, morphotype diversity, and polymer composition were compared across four South African estuaries, finding that open estuaries with high surrounding population densities and diverse land use had the highest MP contamination, with microfibres dominating in all systems.
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